NJPW has announced that their annual Sakura Genesis event will return in April.
The company announced that Sakura Genesis will take place on April 4. It will take place at Sumo Hall, the first NJPW event in the venue since the G1 Climax finals in October.
This is the first time that the annual Sakura Genesis event has run since 2018. In 2019, the company ran a show at Madison Square Garden during WrestleMania weekend, and last year’s show was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sakura Genesis replaced Invasion Attack as the annual April event in 2017.
The winner of the New Japan Cup tournament, which runs during March, usually challenges for the championship of their choosing at Sakura Genesis. The tournament runs this year from March 5 through March 21.
Sakura Genesis in 2018 was headlined by Kazuchika Okada successfully defending the IWGP Heavyweight title against Zack Sabre Jr.
The schedule for the G1 Climax 30 tournament has been released.
New Japan Pro Wrestling announced the schedule this morning during their Summer Struggle event. A full listing of the schedule was also posted on their website.
This year’s tournament starts on September 19 at the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium. The final three nights will take place at Sumo Hall on October 16, 17, and 18.
The tournament will also make a stop at the new Yokohama Budokan arena on October 14.
Here is the full schedule for this year’s G1 Climax tournament:
Saturday, September 19: Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium
Sunday, September 20: Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium
Wednesday, September 29: Hokkai Kita Yell in Hokkaido
Thursday, September 24: Hokkai Kita Yell in Hokkaido
Sunday, September 27: Kobe World Hall in Hyogo
Tuesday, September 29: Korakuen Hall
Wednesday, September 30: Korakuen Hall
Thursday, October 1: Aore Nagaoka in Niigata
Monday, October 5: Takamatsu City Gymnasium in Tagawa
Tuesday, October 6: Hiroshima Sun Plaza Hall
Wednesday, October 7: Hiroshima Sun Plaza Hall
Thursday, October 8: ZIP Arena Okayama
Saturday, October 10: Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium
Sunday, October 11: Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium
Tuesday, October 13: Hamamatsu Arena in Shizuoka
Wednesday, October 14: Yokohama Budokan in Kanagawa
Friday, October 16: Ryogoku Sumo Hall
Saturday, October 17: Ryogoku Sumo Hall
Sunday, October 18: Ryogoku Sumo Hall
The tournament, which usually starts in July and ends in August, was moved earlier this year as a result of the previously scheduled Olympic Games in Tokyo. The tournament was moved to September, ending a month later in October.
NJPW announced several news items during tonight’s New Beginning in Osaka event.
The first announcement pertained to the upcoming G1 Climax 30 tournament, which will start in September due to the Olympic Games in Tokyo. The tournament will begin on September 19 and will run the following day on September 20 at the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium. They will return to the same venue on October 10.
The finals have previously been announced for October 16, 17 and 18 at Sumo Hall.
The second announcement was related to a new event taking place on August 22, Wrestle Dynasty, at Madison Square Garden in New York.
The final announcement revolved around one of their television shows, World Pro Wrestling Returns. It was announced starting in April that it will air at 8 p.m. on Friday nights on satellite station BS Asahi. This is not to be confused with its sister station, the mainstream broadcast network TV Asahi. No specific date was given for when this will start.
NJPW has revealed both blocks and matches for this year’s Best of the Super Juniors tournament.
A Block will feature Taka Michinoku, Titan, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Marty Scurll, Jonathan Gresham, SHO, Shingo Takagi, Dragon Lee, Taiji Ishimori, and Tiger Mask IV. B Block meanwhile will feature Robbie Eagles, Flip Gordon, El Desperado, Bandido, El Phantasmo, Will Ospreay, BUSHI, Ryusuke Taguchi, YOH, and Rocky Romero.
The first show will take place on May 13 with A Block action. The main event will be a rematch from the first night of Wrestling Dontaku, with Dragon Lee facing Ishimori. Shingo vs. SHO, Scurll vs. Gresham, Titan vs. Kanemaru, and Tiger Mask vs. Michinoku are also set.
Will Ospreay vs. El Phantasmo, which was teased during the second Wrestling Dontaku show when they wrestled in a tag team match, will take place on May 22.
The full schedule for this year’s Best of the Super Juniors tournament can be found here. The tour will end on June 5 at Sumo Hall. All shows will air live on New Japan World with English commentary.
If IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Dragon Lee doesn’t win the tournament, it’s expected that the winner will get a shot at his title at Dominion on June 9.
It was also announced that Brody King will be working the Best of the Super Juniors tour in the undercard matches. He was a part of the New Beginning in USA shows earlier this year, after New Japan talent were unable to make it due to visa issues.
The names for this year’s Best of the Super Juniors tournament have been revealed.
The number of entrants for this year’s tournament has increased from 16 to 20 participants. They feature wrestlers from not only New Japan, but also CMLL and Ring of Honor.
The list, which was revealed during today’s Road to Wrestling Dontaku event is as follows:
Ryusuke Taguchi
Tiger Mask IV
Rocky Romero
SHO
YOH
Will Ospreay
Taiji Ishimori
El Desperado
Taka Michinoku
Yoshinobu Kanemaru
BUSHI
Flip Gordon
Titan
Marty Scurll
Dragon Lee
Robbie Eagles
Jonathan Gresham
Bandido
Shingo Takagi
The last participant was labeled as “X,” who based on previous vignettes may be El Phantasmo. NJPW’s website notes that X will be officially revealed at Wrestling Dontaku in Fukuoka on May 4.
English commentary during today’s show stated that every show for the tournament will air live, and will also have English commentary.
The tournament starts on May 13 and ends on June 5, with the tournament finals taking place at Sumo Hall. Details involving blocks and cards will go down at a later date.
All Japan Pro Wrestling presented a big show this morning, held at Sumo Hall in Tokyo. Four titles were on the line, including the Triple Crown as Suwama challenged champion Kento Miyahara.
Takuya Nomura defeated Naoya Nomura
Takuya is a Big Japan young lion, Naoya is a young lion representing All Japan. Both are pretty solid at this level and they had a perfectly fine match. This was pretty stiff, as they were both trading hard forearms at the start. Takuya caught Naoya in an armbar but he made it to the ropes. Takuya then caught him with a kick to the temple and pinned him for the finish.
Another pretty good match. Tomato has some great charisma and has a fun entrance. Kikuchi’s facials and mannerisms are something else. SUSHI and Tamura traded some good near falls. Tamura got SUSHI in an armbar and he tapped out quickly.
Super Tiger, Ryuji Hijikata, Rey Paloma & Diablo defeated Mitsuya Nagai, Tatsuhito Takaiwa, Takeshi Minamino & Black Tiger VII
Black Tiger VII was NOSAWA, who was originally supposed to use that gimmick in NJPW a few years ago but it didn’t pan out due to legal issues. I guess he gets to use it anyway. Solid match, nothing really stood out but nothing was great either.
Super Tiger, who I believe is a protege of the original Tiger Mask, worked the last few minutes with Minamino, who got in a swanton bomb but eventually fell to the tiger suplex.
Tajiri and Kabuki teased their mist spots before the match. This was oddly entertaining, even though it was obvious the workrate in this match wasn’t going to be much. There was an odd fascination in watching 75 year old Dory Funk battling 68 year old Great Kabuki with offense that has to be seen to be believed, but I expected as much going in.
Funk worked this more than you’d think, mostly against Nishimura. Nishimura was going for a figure four when Funk cradled him for the win. Funk cracked the whip after the match.
This was obviously a more athletic match than the previous bout. Everyone looked good and it turned out to be a pretty hot match while it lasted. Jake Lee worked a lot of the ending and looked good. Sai laid out Lee with a big brainbuster off the top rope for a near fall, then followed with a double foot stomp for the pin.
Kashin acted like he didn’t want to team with Akiyama. He started hitting people with chairs but stopped at Akiyama. The match was fine, but didn’t last long. Akiyama pinned Omori with a wrist clutch exploder.
A dragon came out and attacked a mole that was at ringside. I have no idea why, but that did happen. I saw it all.
Joe Doering came out, returning to Japan after fighting a brain tumor for the last year. He thanked the people at home and around the world for their support, and said thanks to them he has beaten cancer. He promised to be back next year to a big pop. Really great to hear.
Jiro Kuroshio defeated Yohei Nakajima for the GAORA TV title
Lots of good near falls throughout the match. Nakajima went to the top rope but Kuroshio cut him off with a top rope hurricanrana then followed with a Michinoku Driver but Nakajima kicked out. He hit two moonsaults then covered Nakajima in a unique looking pin for the win.
Keisuke Ishii defeated Soma Takao for the AJPW Jr. title
There was mostly good back and forth to start things off, nothing too exciting. The crowd was slow to get into it. Soma has a unique look with the dyed hair and gear. Ishii hit a tiger suplex after Takao tried to counter one of his moves. Takao immediately came back and hit two superkicks. Ishii hit a cool looking double arm lifting DDT for a near fall, then hit a shooting star press for the win.
Yuma Aoyagi came out after the match and challenged Ishii. He, of course, accepted, that becoming the next program for the title.
Masanobu Fuchi & Atsushi Onita defeated Atsushi Aoki & Hikaru Sato for the AJPW All-Asia Tag Team titles
Well, this wasn’t boring, that’s for sure. Actually, with all the smoke and mirrors it wasn’t bad at all. Once the bell rang Onita grabbed a barbed wire bat as a siren went off, like as if the ring were about to explode or something. Fuchi reminded him that’s kind of illegal here, so he relented. That did not stop him, however, from grabbing Sato and piledriving him twice on a table that didn’t break.
The champions spike piledrove Fuchi on the outside and worked on him for the heat. Onita came in and misted Sato, then hit him with a chair. Onita took out Aoki as Fuchi hammered Sato with back suplexes then pinned him to win the titles. Yep, that happened.
With the win, the first graduates from AJPW’s dojo have become the 100th All-Asia tag champions, so perhaps it’s a bit fitting. They held up a picture of Magic Dragon, the third member of their graduating class who died in a plane crash in 1987 as they posed with the belts. Akiyama and Inoue came out after the bout and challenged the new champions.
Zeus & The Bodyguard defeated Daisuke Sekimoto & Yuji Okabayashi for the AJPW World Tag Team titles
This would pretty much be your textbook definition of a hoss match. Lots of power spots, chop battles, suplexes, etc. Sekimoto took Zeus and suplexed him off the apron and to the floor in a crazy spot. Sekimoto followed that with a big splash but Zeus kicked out.
They built up to this great spot where Zeus and the Bodyguard overcame Strong BJ’s tandem moves and deadlifted both in an aided double suplex. They hit the doomsday device on Sekimoto, then Zeus finished him with the jackknife to win the titles.
Kento Miyahara defeated Suwama to retain the Triple Crown
This turned into a really great match towards the end. Miyahara did well as the young babyface in peril as Suwama laid it into him, firing back when he needed to and brining it towards the end.
Suwama dominated a lot of the bout, completely overpowering Miyahara until he finally countered back with a DDT and started to mount some offense. They did a sequence where they kept laying out big moves on one another until both were down.
Suwama kept chopping him until Miyahara kneed him and hit a German suplex. Suwama fired back with a backdrop driver. Miyahara countered the last ride with a sunset flip, then kneed him. Suwama countered another knee and hit the last ride but Miyahara kicked out. Miyahara hit three more knees, then hit a deadlift straightjacket suplex to retain the championship.
Miyahara cut a promo and celebrated after the match. No one came out to challenge him.
Final thoughts:
A really fun show overall. It was very long — about five hours long — but nothing dragged and the top two matches were really great. A lot of old guys were on the card, but did well in their roles and as an every now and then sort of thing, it isn’t that bad to watch. Overall a solid card from a promotion that doesn’t have a ton of visibility anymore, but still can produce a great show.
We enter the winding down phase of the G1 tournament as the next two nights will see the winners of each block emerge, then fight for the trophy on the third and final night of the tournament on August 14th. All three shows, including tonight, are at Sumo Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
The Briscoes defeated Captain New Japan & Yoshitatsu when Mark pinned CNJ with the Froggy Bow.
Yuji Nagata, Manabu Nakanishi, Jushin Liger, & Tiger Mask defeated Tomoaki Honma, Ryusuke Taguchi, Juice Robinson, & David Finlay when Liger pinned Finlay with a cradle.
Katsuyori Shibata, Michael Elgin, Satoshi Kojima, & KUSHIDA defeated Toru Yano, YOSHI-HASHI, Katsuhiko Nakajima, & Atsushi Kotoge when Kojima pinned Kotoge with the lariat.
Kenny Omega, Tanga Roa, Yujiro Takahashi, & Hangman Page defeated Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, BUSHI, & Jay Lethal when Page pinned BUSHI with the Omori driver.
SANADA defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Really good match. The crowd was hot for all the near falls as they liked the Tenzan story. Fairly standard back and forth to start. Tenzan started to gain some momentum with the TTD but missed the moonsault.
The announcers were putting over that this may be the final time Tenzan will ever compete in a G1 match. Tenzan channeled Kojima and hit his lariat but SANADA kicked out. Tenzan followed with the Anaconda Vise, then followed with the Anaconda Buster but SANADA still kicked out.
SANADA blocked another TTD attempt and sunk in the Skull End but Tenzan made it to the ropes. SANADA hit his own moonsault but Tenzan kicked out, only for SANADA to follow up with the Skull End again. Tenzan struggled, but eventually submitted in what could be his final G1 match ever.
Tomohiro Ishii defeated Togi Makabe
Good match. They feuded way too much last year so this came off like a retread to me, but they always have explosive matches and this was no different. They’ve had better, but this was still good.
All action as they hit hard and heavy for a lot of the match. Some big time, hard hitting shots. Makabe hit the Spider German but Ishii rolled out of the way of the knee drop. Ishii made a big comeback and got the win with the brainbuster.
Tama Tonga defeated Bad Luck Fale
Okay match but the logic was totally lacking. They did the ‘ol laying down bit with Tonga willing to do the job. They do this on occasion, usually when stablemates face one another, but these stakes are different since a Fale win here could make him the winner of the block.
So Fale covers and tells the ref to count. Red Shoes is reluctant, but eventually does, only for Tonga to kick out and sneak in a roll-up for a two count. Fale tries again, but Tonga kicks out again. Why would it matter if Tonga wins here since that just makes them both losers in the overall scheme of things?
So they have their match. Fale works on him a while after giving him a Bad Luck Fall to the outside, with the other Bullet Club members catching him. Tonga plays babyface and makes a comeback. Tonga tries the Gun Stun a few times but Fale is able to block it. Tonga eventually got it, eliminating Fale from the tournament.
So Fale, who was just eliminated from the tournament because Tonga screwed him over by backing out of the deal they made, was completely cool with this after the match and they did the too sweet sign. How forgiving of him.
Hirooki Goto defeated Naomichi Marufuji
Good match, the last few minutes were pretty great. Solid start as both brawled outside the ring and exchanged some solid back and forth. Marufuji wiped out Goto with a nice looking tope. Marufuji tried the Sliced Bread but Goto kept blocking it and made a comeback.
Goto hit the knee neckbreaker and went for the GTR but Marufuji countered with some great looking kicks. Marufuji was just climbing to the middle rope for the Sliced Bread when Goto put him in the rear naked choke. Marufuji rolled along the floor to try and escape, but he couldn’t do it and Goto finished him with the GTR.
At this point, Goto can win if there is a draw in the main event. Otherwise, whoever wins this next match goes to the finals.
Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kazuchika Okada went to a time limit draw
This is an interesting match to judge because a lot of it was built on the drama of there potentially being a draw. Watching this live, it was a completely awesome match, I don’t think on par with the match from WrestleKingdom this year but it’s a stellar match among their many matches over the years.
How it will be judged now that everyone knows the result, well, I don’t know, but this was absolutely a fantastic match live, about neck and neck with the Okada vs. Ishii match from last week.
They had their usual back and forth but things picked up quickly as Okada went for the elbow and tried the Rainmaker but Tanahashi countered with a cradle. Turned into a more deliberate match with Okada taking it slow and working over Tanahashi, while Tanahashi worked on Okada’s legs a few times.
Okada did the big dropkick that sent Tanahashi tumbling shoulder first down to the floor. Tanahashi hit back with a High Fly Flow to the floor but Okada fired back with a tombstone.
Tanahashi pushed Okada to the floor as they were battling on the top rope, but missed the High Fly Flow attempt after. Tanahashi comes back and works on the leg, giving two dragon screws then applying the cloverleaf. Okada fought valiantly and made it to the ropes.
Tanahashi hit a reverse sling blade then hit a High Fly Flow, and went for another but Okada got the knees up. Okada tried the tombstone but Tanahashi reversed it and nailed him. He went for the High Fly Flow but Okada nailed him with the dropkick.
Tanahashi hit him back and hit two High Fly Flows. Okada kicked out at three and that right there was when the bell rang, ending the match as a draw.
Since neither get the two points needed to advance, and with Hirooki Goto at 12 points, Goto is the winner of the A Block.
Tomorrow’s show will determine the B Block winner.
